


Heir Apparent

by clarka



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Protective Talia al Ghul, alternate title heir apparently not, like she isn't perfect but she loves her son and tries to right by him, this doesn't have a lot of plot except ra's being an asshole and everyone becoming family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24236158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarka/pseuds/clarka
Summary: Ra's only ever wanted an heir so he could take their body for himself, at first he lied about his intentions to his daughter to make her agree to his plans but once she did he wasted no time hiding his objective especially from his willing grandson.
Relationships: Talia al Ghul & Damian Wayne, Talia al Ghul/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 17
Kudos: 92





	1. Good Itentions

Talia should have known better; she never thought her Father’s goals weren’t self-serving, but it was naïve to think she could have benefited from them. She knew Bruce wouldn’t have approved of her methods, Talia and her beloved were different people who value different things, she accepted that. They had gotten past the difficulties that fact brought into their relationship, mostly. Well up until she lied to him about the baby and they drifted apart. Family was always so important to him, welcoming strangers into his own at the drop of a hat when needed but the preparation of a new member was new to him.

When Talia told him, the excitement in his eyes never faded even when the initial shock wore off and she could see worry on his face, the excitement stayed. Seeing it get crushed when she lied to him was something she would never forget but she told herself it was for the good of their family.

After Ra’s had been aware of Talia’s pregnancy, he approached her with a proposition, for her and Bruce’s child to become his heir. Her first instinct was to grasp her stomach, she managed to ignore it and continue listening to his plot. Talia loved her father but there were other feelings there too, ones she never wanted her child to have about her, so she had planned on raising them far away from his influence somewhere safe and happy with Bruce. At first she was only listening out of civility, it wasn't smart to decline her father of anything let alone before he was done speaking.

The proposition included raising the baby within the league, their training controlled entirely by Talia but only until they were eighteen. Once they reached adulthood Ra’s would take over, training them to be his right hand and successor. The child would also have to be grown in an artificial womb to avoid complications in birth and make it easier for the genetics of the child to be modified safely. ‘Nothing serious,’ Ra’s had assured ‘Just its sex, health and capabilities. A head start if you will, you wouldn’t want a sickly fool for a child would you?’

Talia knew if she chose that path for her child, she couldn’t tell Bruce at first, he wouldn’t understand. Their child was never going to have a normal childhood, Bruce would never give up being Batman but at least growing up in the league the child would be destined for greatness. Of course, she would make sure their training be less ruthless them hers, enough to prepare them for their grandfather but still have something resembling a childhood. The small mercy that Ra’s would grant this should have been a sign, just something to appease Talia and make her agree. He knew how she felt about her upbringing and used that to his advantage.

Moreover, being able to check her child for illnesses, make sure she and her baby would be healthy? That practically sealed the deal. Talia wasn’t scared of many things but the thoughts of her child growing up without a mother like her because she happened to die in childbirth, them being born with a fatal disease and dying in her arms or them never even getting to life and dying before their first breath kept her up at night.

But Bruce wouldn’t agree to any of it. He would argue that his crusade on crime shouldn’t be compared to league and how their child would be better off in Gotham. He’d say that the genetic engineering would be unethical or unnatural that they shouldn’t mess with those things and just _hope_ their child is fine. Talia knew almost exactly what he would say and she knew that if he really said it she would never be able to go through with it.

So, with a heavy heart she agreed to her father’s plan and went to lie to her beloved about their worst fears being true.

After the baby was born, she would tell him and then they and their healthy, beautiful, _perfect_ son would finally be a family. But those plans and hopes went straight out the window when on the eighth month of her son’s incubation she found out Ra’s real intentions for her child and realised she had been played a fool.

* * *

Yesterday was Damian’s tenth birthday. It went fairly smoothly, very similar to how it did last year and the before. Tutoring only in the morning and the rest of the day spent just with Talia. Or just Talia and five of her father’s men who don’t let her son out of sight or earshot. It had been like that since the day she found out why Ra’s so desperately wanted an heir. At first it was insulting, like her own son needed to be protected from her because she’d kill him just to spite her father but other the years, she’d gotten used to it. They were quiet and never disturbed her or her son. Her only grievance, she could never tell Damian what she truly thought of his grandfather. If Talia even hinted her plans for Damian the guards would report back to Ra’s and she wouldn’t be the only one paying the price.

Like every year on his birthday Damian gets a visit from his grandfather. He never stays longer than ten minutes and does nothing more than ask Damian about his studies, listen to his enthusiastic answers with disdain, scrutinise him and then leave. Nothing too bad, but the way Damian always stares at Ra’s in awe never fails to make her sick to her stomach. It isn’t the same way she or her sister would gaze at their father but how his fanatics would, ready to scarifies anything for him in the name of loyalty.

Though Ra’s had at first lied to Talia about his plans for her son he never did to Damian. From the day even before he understood what it meant he was told he would be a vessel for his grandfather, he was told it was an honour and he believed it. For years she had to watch her son worship Ra’s and wholeheartedly embrace how he plans to possess him, but after ten long years of planning and waiting an explosion at the other side of the stronghold signalled their long waited freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This all started because I was reading the Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul and I'm thinking why would Ra's spend all that time making sure Damian was trained and such if he was just going to possess him? And then I'm like duh Talia and then I'm like what if she found out sooner about his plans and so yeah?
> 
> Basically I live for flawed-character-but-tries-her-best-when-it-comes-to-her-son!Talia


	2. Flying the Coop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talia tries to escape from the League of Assassins with her son.

As soon as she found out her father’s true intentions for her son Talia knew she would have to defect. She couldn’t do it when Damian was a baby because though she could defeat the guards assigned to him, she couldn’t hold off all of the League who would surely come after her. She also had to destroy the lab where Damian was created before she left.

In those labs was Damian’s DNA and the facilities for Ra’s to perfectly clone him. More innocent children being hurt by Ra’s because of her. This fact also made Damian expendable in his eyes. It would be a setback to kill them as Ra’s didn’t have many years left in his body and would hate to be in the body of a child let alone an infant, but he didn’t take treachery lightly and wouldn’t spare them because of blood. So, leaving those labs intact was not an option.

Which left Talia with the task of coming up with a plan which had a distraction so she could take Damian, a means of escape and the destruction of the labs all under her father’s nose. Many parts were intricate and painstakingly slow but finally the dominoes she’d so carefully put up were falling around her perfectly.

“Mama?” Damian asked her looking scared, he had seen dead bodies before, he’d even see her kill people but those were loyal guards and the explosions and shouting probably weren’t helping. “Traitors, my love. Your grandfather has sent me to take you to safe location come quick.” She responded reaching for his slightly blood splattered hand. He nodded, grabbed his sword and quickly followed her out of his quarters.

Lying to him was the best course of action, he wouldn’t approve of the guards deaths unless he thought they were traitors and something as big as leaving the stronghold, a feat he’s never achieved in his ten years, he wouldn’t do without thinking he had the approval of Ra’s. Talia would explain later but what was important now was making it safely to the western courtyard. _‘Wasn’t lying to your loved ones for their own good what got you in this mess?’_ A cruel part of her mind whispered, she ignored to best she could.

If all had gone to plan, Ra’s will be fighting the enemies she lured in in the east wing whilst her beloved would be fighting the rival enemies organisations she tricked into coming, who were surely fighting each other instead of going after her father. The labs would also have been destroyed as other parts of stronghold; it wouldn’t look like they’d even been targeted, hopefully. And if they were really lucky Ra’s may presume them dead in all this chaos and never come looking for them, unlikely almost impossible though. There was also a chance Bruce had not taken the bait and was still in Gotham leaving them no clear getaway. Maybe she was leading her and Damian to their deaths.

 _‘It doesn’t matter,’_ Talia thinks, Damian’s fate is as good as dead and she knows she could never live with herself if her son was gone. At least this way there was a chance that Damian got a future past these walls.

“Mama, what is happening?” Damian said quietly, still holding tight onto her hand, trailing after her as they ran through the hallways. “Hush now, concentrate on leaving here, your grandfather can explain it fully to you in person when we get to safety, okay?” Talia lies again. She hates how happily Damian nods when Ra’s in mentioned _. ‘He doesn’t deserve his loyalty,’_ She thinks _‘No one ever could be worthy’._ Talia knows once Damian knows and understands the truth, she may lose him, his love, his devotion but she’d rather he hate her than he love Ra’s. She had made mistakes and she owns up to them, but for the love of all that good in the world let him live to hate her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Talia did bad stuff in both canon and this story there's no way around it but she's still a redeemable character and though she should be held accountable for her actions demonising her without considering the writers bias (Grant Morisson admitting he forgot Talia and Bruce had consensual sex and added her drugging Bruce) or ignoring other character's flaws (though Bruce was less extreme he still committed a lot of child endangerment) so like yeah? 
> 
> Also story wise i'm not sure if this should finish with Talia and Damian escaping or their life after they leave? I have a rough idea for both endings but I can't decide with which one to go with.


	3. A Father's Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman arrives at Ra's al Ghul's stronghold expecting a surprise, he definitely gets one.

Batman’s instinct was telling him that this was a trap, he wasn’t going to bother to turn up but then he looked closer. The clues had Talia written all over them and though after the miscarra- after all these years they’d grown apart, maybe whatever scheme she had fabricated was important. At least even if it was a waste Talia wise, there was bound to be some crooks to bust there.

Surprisingly the fighting had started before he had arrived. He couldn’t identify the people or groups but there were too distinct groups (one in dark fabrics and furs, the other in heavy red clothing) who seemed very invested in killing the others. Batman could already see dead bodies from both sides littering the courtyard. He leapt into the fight from the batwing and did the best he could to cease the fighting by trying to detain individuals. It didn’t help, all it did was give easier targets to the people’s enemies.

Even more surprisingly, the people only fought back when he attacked them personally. Batman was largely ignored, whatever the two groups were fighting over ran deep. He was trying to come up with a plan to stop them when he saw a flash of green in the corner of eyes, someone new.

Batman turned around and just a few paces a way stood Talia al Ghul, sword in hand, still elegant and poised even half covered in blood. Batman had expected her to show up at some point, but her company was a shock. A boy, maybe nine or ten, who not only looked very much like Talia but himself. “Talia, what is-“ He growled but was interrupted.

“I’ll explain everything in depth but only once we’ll all out of here and safe.” Talia said.

“Who is-“

“I told you I’ll explain once we’re safe, _beloved_.” Talia had always called him beloved if it were anyone else, he may have accused the pet name of being cheesy, but she spoke it with such honesty and passion he felt himself wanting to say it back. Bruce eventually slipped up one day and did, he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to forget her face when he did. Talia looked different, expected given he hadn’t seen her in years, a little older, her hair a new style, her eyes a little sadder but the ever-present feeling in his gut to trust and believe her was still there.

“Okay.”

* * *

Batman didn’t like leaving behind the ongoing fight, he knew it what hopeless but it never stopped him before even when Talia told him not to, even for the sake of their- it didn’t feel right to leave people behind, killers yet still people. All the same, the scared looked in Talia’s eyes, the emotionless look on the boy’s face and their hands holding it each so tight as if they were waiting for some to tear them apart and he was helping them flee to the batwing.

The plane was silent, Batman was sitting up front whilst Talia and the boy were in the back. She didn’t come and sit next to him like he thought she would but opted to stay with the child. They were definitely safe but he had no idea where to start and he wanted to give the duo a bit more time before demanding answers, but Talia had promised to explain. She had until they reached the bat-cave, a good few hours, before she would have to tell him _everything._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ha so its been a while... 
> 
> also bruce and talia used to be so god damn sappy like I'm not even kidding I'm turning the cheese dial down for this fic ok


	4. The Journey to Gotham

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the plane ride from Ra's stronghold to Gotham, both Bruce and Damian try to mentally adjust to the new developments in their lives,

Damian knew the man sitting a few feet in front of him was his father. Between the cape he wore that was almost identical to the one mother kept in her closet and how she had called him ‘beloved’, a name which she would call the Batman when she spoke of him, he had no doubt in his mind that he had just met his father.

This meeting confused Damian, he knew even though his grandfather respected the Batman he was not an ally to the league, and it doesn’t make sense for him to come to their aid. Grandfather had always been adamant that he was not to meet his father which was another thing that didn’t make sense to him, but it wasn’t his place to question the Demon’s Head. For Grandfather to change his mind like this something very bad must be happening, no wonder his mother seemed so worried when they were escaping.

“Mama, when will we meet up with Grandfather? He’ll want to know they we escaped successfully, and his plan worked.” He asked his mother who tensed when he mentioned grandfather, maybe she was worried about him? No that doesn’t make sense he was _Ra’s al Ghul_ he could survive anything; their concern was unneeded.

“A while yet, my dear. He wanted to make sure that neither of us were followed so our rendezvous is not planned for several weeks. In the meantime, we will hopefully stay with your father. We’ll be safe and our enemies would never look for us in Gotham, what do you think beloved?” Mother replied looking at father who had turned around when she had called him. She had a strange look in her eye as though she was trying to convey a hidden meaning to father without Damian’s knowledge, she was hiding something from him.

 _‘Grandfather must have ordered her to keep a part of the plan from me,’_ he thought, _‘Yes that makes sense, he has made mother keep secrets from him before that must be it. Why else would Mama lie to me for?’_

“Yes, that sounds… fine.” Was all his father said in response and with that the plane went back into an uneasy silence.

* * *

Talia was very obviously lying to her son; he could tell she had no intention of either her or the child ever seeing Ra’s again. On one hand he was glad she was no longer loyal to her father as he knew she deserved better than him, but on the other hand she used to be so devoted to him so something _really_ bad must have happened for her to betray him. He had a bad feeling it had something to do with her- no, _their_ son. From the few things the boy had said, Bruce can deduce he doesn’t feel the same way about Ra’s as his mother. He gives Talia the benefit of the doubt and doesn’t address these lies.

Bruce tries not to focus on Talia and the child but instead on flying the bat-plane but on a route like this it requires almost no concentration. Hell, normally the plane would be on auto pilot and he’d be doing something useful but all he could think about was the boy. ‘ _How could be exist? Why did Talia not tell him about him? Why did Talia lie to him? Or what if she didn’t lie to him and that’s simply not his son and he’s being delusional and seeing his face where it’s simply not there? No that’s stupid she just called his father, stop being paranoid, Bruce. And most importantly, what was his name?’_

In the rush of the escape, Talia had wasted no time introducing either of them, he didn’t even know if the child knew he was his father until Talia causally mentioned it. His mind went wild with the names he could have, thinking back to the baby names he and Talia came up with all those years ago. Names he’d told himself he had forgotten but in reality, were punches in the gut every time he met someone with the same name especially young children and babies.

Bruce knew nothing about this child, and it _hurt_ , his name, age, birthday, favourite colour, all mysteries. And he wanted to ask, he wanted to get to know this child, _his son_ , so badly but he’d promised him and his mother some space and he needed to respect that. So, when the eight-hour flight back to Gotham was over, he felt like he was going to burst.

* * *

Before they had arrived, Bruce had sent a comm to Alfred telling him to expect two visitors, he didn’t give him any other information both because he didn’t know how to explain the situation, nor did he really know what the situation was. He also told him that he was going to have a talk with them in the plane when they arrived for extra privacy. Alfred seemed a little ticked off at this but nevertheless complied.

So, the second the engine cut off, Bruce was out of seat and walked over to sit opposite the mother and son. He didn’t need to say anything before Talia spoke, “Bruce, my love, I am very sorry for the trouble and deception and I’ll explain everything, but I think first maybe some official introductions are in order.” She squeezed the boy’s hand and smiled, “This is our son, _Damian_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing I forgot to mention before is that Damian mainly calls Talia Mama in this fic. This is because when he was first introduced in Batman and Son he would call Talia that and I thought that it was really cute and sweet and weirdly normal and I'm sad that they went to him just calling her mother forever.


End file.
